Man found guilty in 2011 Buena Park beating death

SANTA ANA – A jury found a 24-year-old Victorville man guilty of second-degree murder for the 2011 Buena Park beating of a man who had made a sexual advance toward him.

Edgar Lucio met Ricardo Rios, 47, of Buena Park, through a mutual friend and the two exchanged romantic messages, prosecutors said. The men met in a Buena Park garage on Dec. 14, 2011, an encounter that left Rios dead and Lucio claiming he had hit him in self defense.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 28, and Lucio faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in prison.

Jurors found Lucio not guilty of first-degree murder in the beating. According to Lucio’s lawyer, the fight began after the older man had stroked Lucio’s leg and offered him $1,000 for oral sex. As Lucio tried to leave, Rios chased him into the yard, then threw a metal object and a cinderblock, the defense lawyer said.

Lucio told police he got Rios in a headlock and punched him several times. After the other man fell to the floor, Lucio drove away and called 911.

Rios died from his injuries, which included a broken nose, broken jaw and several broken ribs.